Ideal goal ratio 1L water consumed / 1L wine produced
Besides being an important natural resource, as well as a limited structural and strategic resource, water is also an essential factor in the economic development of any company. Thus, it is necessary to ensure rational and efficient use of this resource.
Considering Alentejo as a region with many challenges in relation to water availability, it is absolutely necessary to properly assess the availability of water, whilst at the same time reducing water consumption requirements and preserving and / or augmenting water reserves. Water management also represents an economic interest at the corporate level, since water waste represents a very significant amount of spending for any company.
The challenge associated with the proposed water / wine ratio is to reach the baseline consumption achieved in other wine-producing countries, where some producers have reached ratios that are around 0.75-1 litre of water consumed per litre of wine produced. In Alentejo, water consumption varies between 1.2 litres (in the most efficient cases) and 14.4 litres of water consumed per litre of wine produced. This large difference suggests that there is huge potential to reduce water consumption in the production process within the cellar.
In the cellars, water is required for cleaning, but is also distributed for use at different stages of the production process. In both sectors there is room for improvement. In Alentejo, the water supply is usually extracted from an aquifer or a nearby dam. Faced with the growing threat posed by climate change, including more intense summers and milder winters leading to regular drought phenomena, the need for improved and more efficient management of water resources is therefore of utmost importance.
Although the volume of water used in the cellar is marginal compared to the volume of water used in the vineyard, the cost involved is considerably different. The water used to irrigate the vines receives a relatively simple treatment, while the water used in cellars generally involves a more complex treatment.
For growers and winemakers, this translates to a certain overall cost of treatment per cubic meter of water. Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary steps, water treatment methods should be developed as a result of careful monitoring of the supply water quality and considering the final use of the treated water. For example, the reduction in the amount of chemicals used in the processing areas has a direct impact on reducing the amounts of noxious chemicals in waste water treatment, ultimately contributing to a reduction in the widespread use of chemicals required.
The Operating Procedures specific to the various cleaning steps involved in the winemaking process can significantly increase the predictability of water volumes needed to wash and disinfect a cellar. This, in turn, will help to avoid unnecessary use of water. Furthermore, water reuse and / or recycling at any stage of the vitiviniculture process has the potential to greatly reduce water usage, resulting in significant savings (depending on the overall cost of water treatment).
Overall Objectives of the WASP for Water Management:
